SPECIAL MODULES TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES TO EMPLOYERS, MAIDS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry plans to create a special module to educate both the employer and maid pertaining to their respective rights and roles.

Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the ministry would further discuss the
proposed module before submitting it to the Human Resources Ministry to be
finalised.

"Although maid issues are under the Human Resources Ministry's jurisdiction,
we still feel it is our responsibility to raise all the relevant issues as most
maids are women," Shahrizat told reporters Thursday after visiting the hostels
for maids at the Indonesian Embassy here Thursday.

She said that the special module was one of the initiatives that could be
implemented to prevent the employer and maid from taking the law into their own
hands.

"The government is taking this issue seriously. No matter who the victim is,
both the employer and the maid, whether local or foreign, must abide by the law.
Those guilty must be punished," she said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Da'i Bachtiar said at present,
there were 130 maids taking shelter at the hostels.

He said 1,000 cases involving Indonesian maids were reported so far this
year as compared to 854 cases reported last year.

"The highest cases were those involving employers who refused to pay the
salaries of their maids," he said.
-- BERNAMA